Once again, I find myself in quandary trying to find the words to put a post together and this time it is to celebrate the THIRD ANNIVERSARY of the founding of For God’s Glory Alone Ministries (fggam.org) by our Pastor Dewey Moede. For some unknown reason to me, folks seem to think I’m a good writer and somehow manage to throw together some pretty good posts for this ministry although I find that rather funny. With a limited education and no writing experience, I find it funny because when I sit down to the keyboard, (just as now), I’ve no idea which keys my fingers will touch. At this very second, I’ve NO idea what the next paragraph may say. What I do know, is that when I give it to my Lord and ask for his input, the keys rattle, and He must be pretty good, cause you folks end up reading it!!!
Not to draw attention to myself but as I await the results of my latest pet/Ct scan for my cancer, the nights of pain are longer and the fog between the ears grows thicker and I unfortunately can now write less and less as the days go by. This is one of those mornings following one of those long nights and this very morning I went back to prayer asking the Lord to help me throw this short post together in honor of what our Pastor Dewey Moede has done for me, what he has done for this Ministry, what he has done and continues to do for so very many out there and what he does for our Lord, day in – day out. I can feel the chills running through me this very second as I think about that while realizing that once again, our Lord is controlling the keyboard, (not to mention a few other things). Within the hour, up pops a dear friend, one of my many Sisters-in-Christ, Shari Hardway Johnson, who also writes for us here at fggam on my Facebook page with a personal message. This particular sister has provided me with prayer from the day I was diagnosed with my cancer and her support, along with so many others such as my precious Godly wife Sandy, has given me strengths I could never have imagined possible in my transition through this storm which I’m in. And I praise Him in this storm for giving my loving wife the strength she has .. this storm is far worse for her than for I, but she stands strong in her faith and in her support each and every day regardless of what that day may bring. Prayers have sustained me since that diagnosis in May of 2013, when my earthly doctors said I wouldn’t see Christmas, right through to today. My precious sister who messaged me had written and produced a song she says to honor me through this struggle but while I greatly appreciate the gesture, I tend to disagree as the honor is all our Lord’s. This song is where the title above came from and after listening to her performing it, I had no choice but to once again, place my hands above the keyboard and let the Lord have His way.
Rambling I suppose, and the post isn’t about me, it is about this fantastic Ministry, but it kind of makes me think about how this Ministry came into being. PLACING EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IN THE LORD’S HANDS and letting Him take control. And that is exactly what Pastor Dewey has done. Some of you know the story, but for those who don’t, I’ll try to give you a short refresher. At the time I met the Pastor, he was managing a Christian radio station here in Albuquerque New Mexico and living around the corner from one of the convenience stores I managed, he popped into my store one day and during his departure, he issued three little words in a boisterous voice .. “GOD BLESS YOU”. Having heard that, I went out of the store where I caught him and we immediately developed a close relationship, (greatly helped by his ministry dogs, Buffy & Reno, who were always his traveling companions). We both love dogs tremendously and his were ready to pour out their love at the seconds notice! This was the beginning of a lasting relationship which continues today.
The next few months were quite a transition for both me and the Pastor. For me, it was the beginning of my full return to conducting my life with the Lord as my guide after a number of events were the Lord was guiding me back, (without my knowledge or realization), back to His path and He brought the Pastor to my store to finalize that process. For the Pastor, it was a new, and in my opinion at the time, scary beginning in his life walking away from the world and walking into the FULL service of our Lord. Very shortly after we met, Pastor Dewey left his position with the radio station and then he walked in the Lord’s path to rely on Him alone in the beginning days of For God’s Glory Alone Ministries. On the morning the Pastor told me of this new venture, (giving up his job and starting this very Ministry), thoughts of ‘this man is certifiable’, began running through my mind. But the Pastor was determined fully believing in what the title of the Ministry says .. For God’s Glory Alone. His mission, to save souls, even if only one at a time, just as he had helped me and my beautiful wife accomplish.
From a small website, operated out of a small office in the Pastor’s home, we both got all excited when he told me one morning a few weeks later that he was already reaching a couple hundred ‘hits’, (viewers), a week. And that Ministry has now grown into the largest Christian blog in New Mexico where he now gets 20 thousand or more ‘hits’ a day and we have visitors from all around the globe. His faith is beyond question, starting this ministry on the penny’s in his pocket and sticking it out during the good and the bad and while it seems to be a day to day operation financially, the Lord has always provided what he needs to continue this mission. Most get worried when we find ourselves living paycheck to paycheck .. Pastor hasn’t a paycheck coming to look forward to other than provided by the Lord through many of his followers here at the website and at times, day to day should probably read minute to minute. But he fights on each and every day to spread and share the Lord’s Word with us! That’s strength beyond my comprehension!!! Shortly after it’s founding, the Pastor asked if I would start writing for him as well and with ill health and no job I commenced doing so, although, as I stated before, I can no longer perform at the levels I once did. But along with some 40 to 60, (I’ve lost count now), other volunteer writers who assist him, the Pastor has kept his promise to the Lord each and every day in the continuation of this wonderful Ministry!
Every day, I praise the Lord for bringing Pastor Dewey into our life here at the Stambaugh house and I praise the Lord for what the Pastor is doing for each and all of us!!!
Pastor -…- THANK YOU can’t begin to return what you have given!!!
The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
– Matthew 25:23
Me, taking a brake to get my good morning kisses from Ms Buffy & Mr Reno, Pastor Dewey’s Ministry Puppy’s!
Sandy and I the day the Lord Blessed me in His house by joining us in Holy Matrimony!
