In my travels I have the privilege of visiting many great churches and meeting some wonderful people. Sometimes those encounters turn into lifelong friendships. Not only here in the U.S. but also in Myanmar and Thailand I am blessed to have many friends and some of those friendships have become like family.
Perhaps fourteen or fifteen years ago I preached for Pastor Mark Secrist of the Mountain State Baptist Church in Summersville, West Virginia and he, his wife, and sons became like my family. I love Mark Secrist because of his down home sense of humor, his love for God, the Bible, and the Church, his powerful Bible preaching, his magical skills in cooking with a old-fashioned cast-iron skillet (my favorite is his fried cabbage with hot peppers) and his mountain hospitality that is almost unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
In those earlier years I would arrive for some kind of a church meeting, unpack my bags, and we’d sit around the living room talking about Jesus or singing songs. We’d stand behind the piano, singing our hearts out, as Mark’s wife, Cheryl, would play all the old favorites with her toe-tapping southern gospel style. Mark’s niece, Trista, would come over with her kids and sing with us. She has a wonderfully strong soprano voice and I love to sing with her.
Trista was going through a very difficult time in her life back then and I grew to love her like a sister. Her kids, Zack and Katie, would be there. We’d play together and, invariably, Katie would fall asleep in my arms as we sat on the couch. As people say, “She had me at Hello.” I just thought she was the cutest thing!
God has blessed Trista and put her life all back together. I’m so glad! She now has a wonderful godly husband who has become a Dad to Zack and Katie. They are now almost full grown and I’ve been able to watch them grow. They both love the Lord. They love me and I love them. This is what the Family of God looks like. My family in Myanmar would say it is “Mayswee Mya” – or, Big Family. This is what we are trying to do in the Golden Land. I want my “Brown Family” in Myanmar to be a part of God’s Family. If you are not a part of this family, you can join today by believing in Jesus Christ and turning to Him as your Saviour. He has a lot more love to share with people just like you. I can help you know Him.
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