The days since my last Update have flown by. The Vesper service on February 18 went well with 17 present. Thanks for praying. The next service will be on March 17. The time in Nashville for the NRB conference went well. Jim and Susan Hawley, former members of FCC who now live near Nashville picked me up at the airport and took me out to a delightful dinner before dropping me off at my hotel. And Mark and Susie Hassett, also formerly a part of FCC took me back to the airport after a delightful lunch. Sandwiched between these special times with friends, I had a wonderful time at the conference.
At the convention I made good connections with a few who broadcast my program. I also met some who might consider adding my program to their network. In addition, I met a few who could help disseminate my books to new audiences. Seeds have been sown. It will be interesting to see in time what fruit might result from this time of sowing.
Yes, there were some Serendipitous Encounters at the NRB conference:
As I walked the floor of the exhibition hall an exhibitor stopped me to show me his product – a new kind of overhead projector. I wasn’t interested in the product, but we continued talking. I became aware that he was not familiar with what it meant to have a relationship with Jesus, so I started explaining it to him. A woman came up and asked about the product, so I stepped back and waited. When he had answered her questions, we continued our conversation. He was very interested, so I briefly shared a pamphlet I had and showed him how to respond to Jesus. Other customers started standing around, so I gave him a hug and he responded warmly to the embrace. I wonder what kind of soil that seed landed on (ala – parable of the sower found in Matthew 13:1-23). God knows!
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I had a couple of appointments lined up ahead of the conference. One was with a friend, Wayne. When I got there, he was talking to Dr Job, the President of Moody Bible Institute. After he introduced us, in our brief conversation Dr Job asked when I graduated from Moody. I said, “In 1959.” As he left for another appointment, I gave him a copy of one of my books.
A few hours later I was getting tired and started walking back to my room to rest. On the way, as I was crossing a bridge in the Resort complex, I heard someone mention, Gary Chapman. As I looked over the railing, I noticed a group of people being addressed in a restaurant below the bridge. It sounded like they were honoring Gary, the author of the “Five Love Languages.” Suddenly my phone rang. It was Wayne. He asked me where I was. I said, “I’m on the bridge to the island market.” He said, “Moody’s president, Dr Job, is honoring Gary Chapman in the restaurant below you.” I said, “I know. I’m listening to it.” Wayne said Dr Job wanted him to contact me because, as he was talking to Gary in preparation for the event, he found out that Gary graduated in 1958. He told Gary he met someone a few hours ago who graduated in 1959 and mentioned my name, Lud. Gary said, “Is Lud Golz here? I’d like to see him.” So, Dr Job called Wayne to see if he could contact me. As we were talking, I could see him wave to me, so I found a way down to the restaurant. When the honoring ceremony was over Gary saw me and the two of us embraced and enjoyed a brief conversation.
Isn’t it amazing how God can knit together a network of schedules of people just to bring together two friends, former fellow students at Moody and Wheaton College, who haven’t seen each other in some time, just so that they can enjoy a brief warm embrace and chat: it’s like a shot of spiritual adrenalin! Just think, what heaven will be like!!!