Aches and Praise Four Hundred & Sixty Nine

September 3, 2020
 

Dear friends,

When I was eleven, a song that was popular contained the following line: “Will I see you in September or lose you to a summer love?” According to the Internet, “See You in September” was recorded in 1966 by “The Happenings” (written by “The Tempos” in 1959). I never imagined that this catchy song would be in danger of being banned from the radio years later. According to one Internet site, following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, “See You In September” was listed in a memo containing 150 songs that radio conglomerate Clear Channel Communications suggested be banned from radio.

September is a month that has included some very memorable events, such as the Summit Series between Canadian and Soviet hockey players in 1972. That eight-game series was capped by the winning goal scored by Paul Henderson. For more about that, please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Henderson. Around that time, I had been following a Bible course which I received from Christian Direction, a ministry that set up the “Sermons from Science” pavilion at Expo ’67 and continues to this day. In January 1973, I trusted Christ as my personal Saviour after completing the third lesson of the four-lesson Bible course and later learned that Paul Henderson is a devout Christian.

Who could have imagined that 48 years after the Summit Series that hockey would be played again in the summer? Due to the coronavirus, no fans are permitted in the arenas in Toronto and Edmonton, but the players trying hard to entertain those who watch from the comfort of their home. I didn’t dream that in September 1977, I would be on a ferry from Belgium to England, where I served with Operation Mobilization, a Christian ministry dedicated to sharing the gospel around the world. In August 1978, I got in line in London on a Saturday to buy an airplane ticket to fly home. Air Canada was on strike at the time, so I waited two days before finding a flight to Newark, New Jersey. I then took a bus from New York City to Montreal, arriving Tuesday morning – August 29 – my mother’s birthday. I wasn’t the life of the party, though, as my body fought jet lag!

I had first gone to New York City in April 1968 on a holiday with my parents and enjoyed watching the Mets play the Giants at Shea Stadium. Construction on the North Tower of the World Trade Center would begin four months later. I couldn’t have imagined that more than 40 years later, I would return to New York on a holiday with my beautiful wife, Karen, and our precious family. God has blessed us in so many ways and we are very grateful for the prayers of His saints, as we seek to share the gospel and disciple believers in Quebec and around the world through the radio ministry of “La Voix de l’Ēvangile.”

Scripture for the weekend: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NASB)

Thought for the weekend: “Safety is not found in the absence of danger but in the presence of God.” – David Roper (from “Together With God: Psalms,” Our Daily Bread Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan)

 

By His grace,
 

Steve


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