Anticipate Miracles

My dear friend, the Reverend Doctor Dave A. Peterson preached his last sermon as the Senior Pastor of the  Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church (MDPC) in Houston, Texas. He is now officially retired after serving the Memorial Drive Church for 18 years and after serving churches from Elko, Nevada to Grand Haven, Michigan to Spokane, Washington for the last 41 years!

I was there for his first sermon at MDPC... so sorry I wasn't able to attend his last. While he was preaching his last sermon, I was preaching my first sermon in a Presbyterian Church since leaving the First Presbyterian Church of Klamath Falls, Oregon in March of 2012.

Dave Peterson is one of the main reasons I was able to preach at all...

My iWitness...

Dave Peterson always ended the worship service with this benediction...

"Expect the unexpected... Anticipate miracles... And know through God all things are possible."

The years between  1997 through 1999 had to be the most turbulent years of my life. Outside of meeting Julie during those years, my life was a complete mess...

In my Presbyterian circles I was unacceptable and unlovable and undeniably an outcast. My future looked quite bleak within the Presbyterian Church.

There was one pastor who opened his arms, his heart, his life, his office and his love for me during that time. His name is Dave Peterson.

It would take volumes to share with you how my life has changed since those early years of 1998. But let me say this... He got me back up on my feet again and walked with me in a new direction of life that allowed me to preach again, be accepted again, be lovable again and basically be included in the loving arms of the church once again. With his arms wrapped around me my shoulders...

I began to "expect the unexpected..."

I began to "anticipate miracles..."

I began to and actually believed and then joyfully experienced the unexpected miracles that God, and only God makes possible!

And you can too!!

In Dave's honor,  "Expect the unexpected! Anticipate Miracles! And Know through God all things are possible!"

Thank you Dave!

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4. 13)