That’s Right! I’ve got a gospel message to tell you – my gospel -it’s not the one according to Matthew, Mark, Luke or John; but its contents and message is the same as theirs, only the people, places, faces and stories are a little different.

I believe we ALL have a gospel to tell, a message to preach, and fantastic stories to shout from the roof tops. It really is the same wonderful story told from the beginning of time. A story of a wonderful redeeming Creator. It’s a story of how lost sheep are brought back to the sheepfold. It’s a story of grace, mercy and compassion. A story of revelation, reconciliation and redemption. Upon hearing my gospel, you’ll discover a God that has moved mightily, miraculously, meticulously, mercifully, and mathematically.
This is the Gospel According to Me, and how the Lord Jesus Christ saved me and sent me forth to preach His gospel in China.

Actually…..

This is the gospel according to “us” – my wife and I – and how God miraculously changed our lives forever. I only have limited space to tell just a little part of my gospel, but I believe you will be moved in what I say.
Proverbs 30:16 says: There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, it is enough.
Yes, these 4 things are never satisfied.

I would like to draw your attention to verse 16 of the proverb- the barren womb. The barren womb is never satisfied.

Now, I know that there are a lot of men who can’t relate to that; some of you men might be thinking, “A barren womb? A problem? That’s not as bad as not being able to watch Sunday afternoon football during a power failure from all these hurricanes!! However Men, you ask any woman who has struggled with barrenness, and you will find out in a hurry about one of the deepest, most hardest, most traumatic pains that can ever be experienced- a barren womb. The barren womb is NEVER satisfied. The woman who struggles with barrenness is head deep in shame, hurt, and pain.
“Why me? What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I bear children?”

Many a woman has gone down to the grave in deep sorrow, never experiencing the joy of cradling their own precious little one. The barren womb is never satisfied.

My wife and I experienced a barren womb for 14 years. I remember her crying night after night, month after month, year after year. I remember our friends coming to me saying, “We are expecting again, how can I tell Felisa?” I would urge them that it would be alright. They would tell her of the good news that they were expecting. Felisa would put on a good show, congratulate them with hugs, kisses, and joy- for she was truly happy for them; however, after, she would find a quiet place to cry, and then ask the same question to herself, “When is it my turn? Why can’t I have children?” She went through 14 years of sorrow, pain, hurt, and shame.

Some of you might be saying, “What does this have to do with China, and missionary work there?” Oh my friend, it has everything to do with it. It has everything to do with a mighty God, who is able to transform lives for His glory, and use them for His service. For He is a wonderful, wonderful God-His name is wonderful. Behold the glory of the Lord!! For He wants to transform you and I; when He does, He is able to use us for His namesake. Are you willing to say, “Oh God, not my will but your will be done today?” Are you willing to give Him your whole heart today? 99% won’t do. Are you willing to trust Him today, and lean not on your own understanding in these most dark, evil, and gloomy days that we live in?!?! If you are, he has a wonderful plan for you.

Earlier I spoke of the pain, the hurt, and the shame concerning a barren womb. Now, will you listen to God’s answer, God’s reply to the woman suffering such a tragic heartbreak? Will you listen to the Psalmist: Psalm 113:9 says: “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.”

This verse has become the theme of our lives and missionary work in China.
Behold the glory of the Lord. We now have 4 sons, and Felisa is pregnant with number 5. When you look at these 5 children of ours, I want you to remember the majesty of our Lord, remember the mightiness of His hand.
He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children.

I remember we had reached the end of our rope in early spring of 1996. We had already been trying to have children for 8 years. In the spring of 1996 we went to a specialist for examinations. I remember well, the arrogant doctor said, “You’ve got big problems, without my help, you’ll never have children.”

We asked: “Can you guarantee that we can have children?” “Oh no, there’s no guarantee. I don’t even know if it will help or not!” he said.

Looking back now there is one thing that I’m certain the doctor spoke truthfully about. My wife had big problems, as it relates to child birthing that is, her womb was shut up, closed up, sealed off and as dead. Her womb was as dormant as a winter grizzly bear in hibernation, showing no signs of movement, life or zeal.

Her womb was as dead as Lazarus. You might recall Lazarus, the gospel of John chapter 11 tells us the story of Lazarus, the friend and follower of Jesus, whom Jesus greatly loved, whom had been dead, and in the grave for 4 days, before Jesus had the tomb opened, and called forth Lazarus from the dead. My wife’s womb was as dead, and barren as the tomb of Lazarus. My wife’s womb was as dry and lifeless as the Sahara desert.

The man at the clinic said, “You’ll never have children without my help, and there’s no guarantee that even what I can do can help you out!”

That’s right! Because he is a man and not the living God who formed the world with the thunder of his voice, and formed man in His own likeness breathing into him the breath of life.

But the Lord Jesus is able! He is able to guarantee His word and perform all that the scriptures declare.

Mind you, at this time, when we went to the fertility clinic we knew nothing of God’s word, His promises and His power. For I had even a greater problem than that of my wife’s womb, at that time; I was a self-made, self-serving, selfish, stupendously sinful man.

At that time, I had not yet been reconciled to God by faith in God’s only begotten son, the Lord Jesus. Though on the outer surface, I seemed to have everything in control; on the inside, my heart, mind and soul were in a dreadful condition- held captive to the bondage of sin, and the cesspool of iniquity.

Shortly after, in the summer of that same year 1996 Felisa and I gave our lives to the Lord Jesus and we started following Him. After reading the Bible and studying certain passages of scripture, I rather quickly felt convinced that we could wait on the Lord to bring us children. Felisa, on the other hand was not so sure, we had just become Christians. I remember pleading with her in our front yard in Grant, Florida saying, “Honey, just trust God for 30 days!” I think we had been Christians for all of a week or two. You see, we were just in the middle of trying to save thousands of dollars to pursue fertility treatments. I remember the countenance of her face well. She said, “OK honey,” but she was not convinced. I felt certain that we would not be pregnant by the end of that month, but this I knew, that God would increase her faith! He’s a good God, our God.

After the month was over Felisa said, “However long it takes, I’m going to trust the Lord to open my womb!” We had to wait another 5 years from that point, and ride the roller coaster ride of life called the Christian walk.

Shortly after Felisa’s declaration of faith concerning bearing children. I got another “grand idea.” In 1997 I started telling my wife that I felt the Lord was calling us to China. She looked at me as if I had 3 heads. “What, China?! You are out of your mind!” Though those were not her exact words, it was exactly what she had been thinking. I thought “Lord, I believe this is your plan for our lives, what can I do, my wife will not go with me, she refuses to go. What can I do?” The Lord spoke to me with that still, soft voice of His word saying: “Wait, wait for her! Be patient and wait.” Patient! Patient! How could I even begin to be patient! Patience was not my forte.

Shortly after this in 1998, Felisa’s sister’s husband was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the age of 37. We didn’t know it then, but he would pass away in 6 months. When he was first diagnosed, Felisa and I discussed that it would be best for her to leave Florida and go to Seattle, Washington where her sister was, to help her, serve her, love her, and bring the gospel message to her sister.

Many people didn’t understand this. Some even gossiped, whispered behind our backs, and even slandered our names saying, “They’re having marital problems, Jym’s running around with other women.” Hard to believe- isn’t it? Sadly to say that this malicious slander came from within Christian circles. They didn’t understand! They didn’t understand because their thoughts were evil and their mindset was not that of Christ! The book of James tells us that true religion is coming to the aid of widows and orphans in their time of need! I was heart broken over this.

Those gossipers, those whisperers, those backbiters did what they do. Their hearts were far from the heart of the Lord! Sadly to say that today one of the greatest cancers within the confines of our churches is malicious slander, gossip, and backbiting. How many wonderful pastors, elders, leaders in the faith, and even common brothers and sisters come under vicious attacks from lying lips- usually from within the confines of their own congregations. What a heartbreak, what a tragedy, what a disgrace, woe unto us if this is our condition today! My mother use to say, “If you ain’t got nothing nice to say, don’t say it at all!” Many of us Christians today, need to take mom’s advice.
Pastors, elders, and leaders of the faith who stand up for the truth, and our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith need our encouragement and love.

Because Felisa and I desired to serve the Lord, and serve her sister in Seattle, we were separated for almost 2 years! I being in Florida, her being in Seattle, Washington. It was hard on us both, it was difficult, but God was breeding patience in our lives. The Lord spoke to my heart saying, “When she comes back home from Seattle, she will go with you to China.” Everyday for almost 2 years I would write her emails, call her on the phone and wait. It’s a good thing I was kept very busy with our landscaping company, and 85 animals. It was very difficult. I wrote her long love letters. Sometimes I would say in my letters, “Sweetheart, let’s go to China!” She would write me back, but would not answer my question concerning China. I wrote her once saying, “Honey, God wants to open our womb in China! Let’s go to China!”

Still I waited on my bride. Finally, in October, in the year 2000, I called her on the phone. I said, “Honey, let’s go to China and serve the Lord.” She said, “OK honey, it doesn’t matter where we are, just as long as we are together!” She also said, “And now I know that God is going to open my womb in China- He told me to bring maternity clothes!”

I had waited on her for over 3 years! The Lord was working patience in us. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I had been talking big for 3 years now, but now that Felisa gave me the green light, I was going to have to start moving in action now.

As it turned out, the great governing hand of our mighty God had used Felisa’s sister in a way that she didn’t even know, to help Felisa yield to the will of God. Felisa’s sister Kathy did not know of my desire to go to China. However, one day, they were sitting on the porch swing and talking like sisters do and Kathy said to Felisa, on a whim or was it: she said; “I often regret not moving to Oregon when Rich was alive. He had a dream of moving there and starting a new business but I was always too afraid to leave. Now that he’s gone, I wish I could grant him that request. It would not have mattered where we lived; all that would have mattered was that we were together.”

And just like that, Felisa’s heart was touched and she was willing to go. When Felisa returned from Seattle in January, we made a 9 month schedule to head out to China- the date set to leave America was September 3, 2001- 8 days before the tragic day 9-11. Looking back now, those 9 months were like that of a new birth. It was the beginning of a new life for us.

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.

We were busy with the hustle and bustle of preparing to depart for China. Three months into our preparation, all of a sudden Felisa was feeling strange. One morning, when I was running my landscaping business, Felisa was drop-dead, dog tired. She got the urge to take a pregnancy test. She was scared too. How many countless test had she taken in the past? Was this just going to be another let down? Another heartache? She went into the bathroom and took the test. As the test quickly gave the result of pregnant, she was trembling, dropping to her knees with great joy, tears, crying and sobbing saying, “Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus!”

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.

14 years of pain, hurt, heartache, and shame was coming to an end. When Felisa stopped fighting the will of God and yielded to Him, only then did He give her the desire of her heart. Ever since my wife was a little girl ,all she wanted was to be a wife and mother. It was the close of a chapter, the end of an era for us, and the beginning of a whole new life.

September 4, 2001 we landed in China- my wife was 6 months pregnant. 3 months later, after 4 days of labor, our son, Isaac James was born in our home on November 27, 2001. 2 years later, on November 30, 2003, our Joshua Harrison was born in our home. A year and a half later on July 17, 2005, our Benjamin Daniel was born in our home. A year and 10 months later on May 23, 2007, our Noah Justice was born in our home. In 2009 we will be adding our fifth child to the family in early February.

He maketh the barren woman a joyful mother of children.

It’s safe to say that my wife’s womb is some what satisfied. Thank You Lord Jesus!

He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.

As I said earlier, and maybe now you know why this passage of scripture has been the “theme” of our lives and missionary work in China.

In September, we will begin our 8th season in China. During this time, Felisa, my wife, has either been pregnant, nursing a baby, or both!

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.

Through the years, God has not only given us our own children, but many spiritual children as well. So many have come to Christ, by God’s grace, through our home fellowship here in China. I’m always amazed how God uses ordinary people for His glory.

This is the Gospel According to Me. What’s The Gospel According to You?