Hi, I'm back

[Pastor Bill]

Just figured I'd say Hi, I've been offline for awhile without a good internet connection at home, and no longer working at my previous job.

Just to catch everyone up. In August of 2010 we stepped down from the Church and moved close to my Parents. It was time for a change, the church needed it, we needed it, and Dad's health was not doing well.

A couple months later Dad was diagnosed with Cancer and began radiation treatments on his throat. He completed those treatments and they found spots on his lungs, unfortunately the radiation took a lot out of him, and he said there was no way he could go through it again. Without treatment he was given about 6 months to live.

We found a house and bought our first home, it needed a lot of work, but we got it for a good price.

Then in May 2011 my position at Berea College was cut due to restructuring, so after 15 years I was told I didn't need to come back in the next day.

That's a lot to hit you all at once, but God is Great, and really carried us through it all. He moved on Dad, and there is no sign of cancer, He still is weak and has some breathing problems but He's doing better now than a year ago when he was told he'd only live 6 months. I've been substitute teaching as well as doing custom database programming, and financially we are having to trust God not knowing the future, but we've always had what we needed and actually we are debt free and doing better than we ever had (other than we just don't know about future income, we just have to trust God), plus it's given me a lot of free time to help at the church, spend with Mom and Dad, and I am looking into going back to school to get a teaching degree.

We are in an amazing church, with a great Pastor (Willard Estep) and are really seeing what it means for a church to pull together and work together. God is doing amazing things, we're busing in about 200 kids on Wednesday nights, and have about 20 people working with them in our Youth Services, we're running out of space and parking at times, but those are good problems to have.

The kids are doing well, Daniel (our oldest) fits in much better here, and has grown close to the Church Youth group, Faith is excelling academically and has made some great friends and Michael is getting into sports (and doing well academically).

Overall God has shown He is good and He will always see us through. It's good to be back on here, and have some time to catch up.

[paul]

Good to hear from you Bill. Greatful to the Lord for constantly being there for all of us including you and your family. Will continue to pray for your dad and all your future needs.

[Billy n NC]

Glad to hear from you Bill. Welcome back.

Does the church you go to have a website??

[Pastor Bill]

I'm working on it, but I'm no web designer! Hope to have it up soon.

[Susie Hamilton]

Are you going to the Stanton church? Bro Estep is great, I have known him and his family for many years. He has really done a wonderful job at that church.

[scooter]

Sounds great Bill!

[RamboPreacher]

good to hear from you again.

[Pastor Bill]

Are you going to the Stanton church? Bro Estep is great, I have known him and his family for many years. He has really done a wonderful job at that church.

Yes, my Parents and Sister have gone to Stanton for years, and I love the Esteps, we are blessed to be there, and God is doing so much, it amazes me at times.