August 31, 2005

Hi!  Can you believe it's almost September already?  The older I get, the more quickly the weeks seem to just fly by. 

We've had a great month of rallies.  Last Thursday night, we held a rally in a city park in Gettysburg, South Dakota.  It was a perfect summer evening!  The lawn was covered with people who brought their own chairs.  The bleachers were also full, and children plopped themselves down on the grass just a few feet from where we sang.  The sun shone on Larry and me like a golden spotlight.
                                    
We had a wonderful response at the altar call.  Just before the end of the altar call, Larry said "I'm going to close this altar call in 60 seconds.  If you want to come and pray, come now."  To our shock and amusement, a beautiful, big golden lab that had been snuggled quietly through the whole concert next to its owner, got up, walked forward and stood at attention with all those waiting to pray the sinner's prayer.  Larry prayed, people went to the counseling area, and then Larry chuckled, "Folks, this is the first time in 40 years I've had a dog come forward to get saved!"  Of course, the crowd exploded with laughter!  There is truly never a dull moment on the road.

Here's a photo of Pastor Carey Gossen (with wife Nettie) of Grace Bible Church in Gettysburg, South Dakota.  Pastor Gossen is wearing a neck brace because he is recovering from surgery.  He commented, "This event [the rally in the city park] was so good for our community.  The Gospel message was so simple and clear!  We loved Larry and Gloria's humor and their down-to-earth message.  We want to do an event like this again!" 

After that rally, we traveled across the state through a blinding thunderstorm.  We pulled into Sisseton with our coach at about 2:30 am.  We spent about eight hours unpacking, repacking, doing office work, and then headed out again.  By that time, our body odometers were feeling the road miles!  We trekked our way into central Iowa. 

On Saturday, we set up our equipment in Harlan, Iowa, at the First Baptist Church.  We then raced back 35 miles to Manning, Iowa, where we had the rare opportunity to be able to attend an anniversary celebration.  Harold and Rita Sporrer, who have been partners with our ministry for over 30 years, celebrated their big 50^th anniversary!  Several of our other ministry friends were there, so it was like a "friends' reunion."  These three couples (left to right: Lewellyn and Wanda Larson, Marvin and Mary Arehart, and Harold and Rita Sporrer) attended our Sunday morning service in Harlan and are all celebrating milestone anniversaries.   The Larsons and Sporrers are celebrating 50 years, while the Areharts are celebrating 60 years!

Sunday, August 28, we had an 8:00 and 10:30 service back in Harlan, Iowa at First Baptist.  It was a joy to be back with Pastor Gundar Lamberts and Associate Pastor Jim Warren.  They have a great desire to see the lost come to Christ!  We had two precious altar calls. 

After the service, Tony and Kathi Beach, along with their three little children (including a set of twins!) anxiously waited to visit with us.  Tony and Kathi are both teachers in Harlan.  Tony said he saw us in about 1978 when he was only five years old, and still remembers how much he loved the music and all of the "little" Lundstroms.  He was so thrilled to be able to reconnect with us! 

As I was packing up and getting ready to leave the church in Harlan, another young family came up to visit with us.  They said they had just moved to Harlan and had called a church to check on the service times.  Somehow, they ended up at the wrong church, but when they walked in and saw our poster, they knew it was God who had brought them there.  The father of this family said that he came to a Lundstrom rally when he was a young boy, and that his parents had come to Christ through the Lundstrom ministry.  They shared how excited they were to see us again, and to know that we were still out soul-winning after all these years! 

Also, at the Gettysburg, South Dakota city park rally, a lady in her late 30s came up and said, "My folks used to take us to see you, wherever you were, when we were kids.  We loved it.  Now I'm bringing my children to hear you."  I love hearing those testimonies, even though it makes me feel old!  The Bible talks about God's faithfulness from generation to generation.  Weekly, we see this unfold in front of our very eyes.  Many people who came to the Lord in Lundstrom Crusades during the 70s and 80s are now bringing their children and grandchildren to our rallies.  It's thrilling to see the second and third generation coming to Christ under our ministry.  Oftentimes when Larry and I are weary, a scripture comes back to us: "Be not weary in well doing…"  When we see these decisions for Christ and hear such generational testimonies, it gives us the energy to keep pushing on.  These experiences make ministry on the road exciting and interesting!

After the Sunday services in Harlan, Roger and Beverly Sorrenson invited us (along with about 30 others) over to their home for a huge delicious potluck dinner.  Talk about a wonderful feast!  The fun and fellowship were great.  Roger and Beverly hosted us for two nights in their home, also.  It was a true haven of rest for us! 

Medical Update: 

Praise the Lord!  Larry's test results turned out okay.  The doctors put him on Nexium, that "little purple pill," to take care of the erosions in his stomach lining.  He is starting to feel better!  On August 28, I crossed over the six-month recovery line with my foot.  I am so grateful those six months are behind me now.  Last Sunday, I was able to stand up with Larry and sing four songs…then I retreated to my "nest" on the chair by the soundboard.  I could tell Larry was happy to have me back up by his side.  When he grinned, his dimples danced with delight! 

As you know by now, Hurricane Katrina has ripped through Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida.  Our hearts are grieved and saddened for all those who have lost so much.  We have many friends and partners who live in those hurricane-stricken areas.  We are unable to contact them as of yet, but we are praying for them.  We have ministered at many churches in those areas, and we know that those congregations are suffering.  Please join us in prayer, that God will sustain them and help them.  They desperately need our prayers!  It's amazing how life can change in a blink of an eye.  We should never take for granted what we have at this very moment. 

Have a great Labor Day weekend!  We will talk again next week.

Gloria