Ruth Marlene Friesen: Wishing You A Blest Christmas!

This site is like Ruthe, the heroine of my novel, Ruthe's Secret Roses

Ruthe is. . .
intimate with God,
prays a lot,
a bleeding heart for the hurting,
a big sister,
rescues friends,
has creative ideas,
likes to give surprise gifts,
loyal to friends,
dreams of love and marriage,
dreams of writing a book
goes the extra mile

So this site offers;
a good books to read!
help to become Friends with God,
The One Ideal Real Friend
a cure for loneliness
An Older Sister's Coping Secret
how to pray Panic Prayers,
& regularly/daily
devotionals,
how to grow in faith
Christian mentoring,
how to share your faith
character development
how to become a writer

During the 11-12 years I lived in London, Ontario, I was very active in the Oxford Street Alliance, which moved to the suburbs and eventually became the big West London Alliance church. This story happened in the early days before that move.

In April of 1977 our new pastor, fresh out of Bible college, but on his second career, became discouraged.

When Pastor Luke and his family arrived in our church, we had been without a pastor for over a year and lost quite a few people. Luke had a lot of visionary energy and hope.

Our small flock had already sold our Oxford Street building, and bought a nine-acre property in the suburbs, but had run into snags at city hall, and couldn't raise funds without first drawing together a strong support-base congregation.

Meantime, we rented a chapel in a retirement complex and a school gym for club meetings, but every time he turned around, Pastor Luke ran into another brick wall. His enthusiasm and faith wiped out.

I was the part-time church secretary, but did it from my secular job as a receptionist/switchboard operator. One morning he called me at work to say he was driving to the district office to resign. "I'll announce it at Bible study tonight."

I understood his discouragement, but I knew our fumbling church would go under if we were without a pastor again for any length of time. So I prayed my heart out all day for a miracle - a change of his mind.

Unknown to me, one elder knew, and so his invalid wife knew. Gerda was on her knees all day in their apartment, also praying, claiming a Bible promise in Ruth 3:18, to sit still and wait; the matter would be settled that same day.

That evening at the mid-week Prayer meeting our pastor announced that God had spoken to him on the highway and he had changed his mind. He was staying. He had spoken with the District Superintendent, who had encouraged him in this decision.

From then on he had a new powerful faith! The building project pressed on. When the well water was bitter, he dropped a twig down the pipe, prayed, and the water became sweet. The facility, with seating potential of 400 when balcony and wings came into use, was built.

The crowds began to come and what was at first a flock referred to as the "faithful forty" grew to hundreds in just a few years.

(West London Alliance has built on several new phases since I moved away, as the city closed in around it).

Knowing that pastor as well as I did, and the depth of his discouragement, I am convinced that at least a minor miracle happened on the freeway that day. Paul E. Billheimer in "Destined for the Throne," (and others too), has written convincingly, arguing from Scripture that God limits Himself to accomplishing on earth only that which Believers pray for. (See Ezekiel 22:30-31, Matthew 7:7, 9:38, John 14:13-14, 15:7, and 16:23-24).

In that sense, Gerda and I did have a part in the work of a miracle that day. But we want the Lord to get all the credit!

About the Author: Ruth Marlene Friesen is a caregiver, novelist, web designer and friend with more imagination that she can use up! You'll find her touch and her words all over Ruthe's Secret Roses, and about half a dozen other sites. Look out, Ruth tends to get involved if you become her friend! She takes mentoring seriously.


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