A Milestone

THE MILESTONE-I've reached a milestone. When my youngest son suggested that I start a blog, I never expected to do so for a year, or to receive the response I've gotten from friends around the world. This has turned into a ministry that I didn't anticipate. I am grateful to God and the rest of you for the opportunity to touch lives and encourage others, as I have been encouraged.

That said, I have decided to close this blog, and move on to another project. My prayer is that new readers will continue to visit this site, and pass it on to others who might be helped. If it has been beneficial to you, perhaps it will be to others also. I will always enjoy answering emails from people that have specific comments or requests. I would suggest that new readers begin with my first blog entry, and read forward.

VISIT THE NEW WEBSITE-I will have a new website dedicated to hermeneutics. "How To Study and Understand The Bible" will be my focus. When I became a new Christian, I was handed a Bible and expected to teach myself. That is what I have done (with some eventual assistance from others), and hopefully I've learned a lot since then (30 years) that might be helpful to some of you.

I know now how important it is to have a logical method for studying the Bible. There are "short cuts" to knowledge, and there are ways to help you learn the truth of Scripture. "...God our Savior...desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3,4)." Jesus said to those Jews who had come to believe in Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31,32)."

Serious Christians (are there any other kind?) listen closely to the words of the apostle Peter, "Like newborn babies, long for the milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation (1 Peter 2:2)." Good students of the Bible have a hunger for knowledge that isn't found in the casual approach to Bible study used by most people. If you will join me on my website, I believe that you will enjoy the things that I have to share.

If you are interested in being notified when the site is up and running, send me an email note.

SPECIAL NOTE-About two weeks ago, I received an email asking if I would like to serve as education minister for the Mount Vernon Church of Christ in Prescott, Arizona. After some resolving of a few "challenges," it is now a "done deal." This congregation knows of all my BPD issues, and are more than willing to work around any problems that I might have. You don't find people like that everyday. This is proof-positive that unexpected good things can happen to you, even if you have a depressive mood disorder. The transition that I will be making might create a delay in setting up the website, but I should be up and running no later than the first of January.

Thank you, my friends, for making the journey with me. I will remember you all with fond affection and appreciation. Remember that no matter how dark the days, God desires to be by your side, if you will only put your trust in Him.

["I'm so low, I could do a ten minute free-fall off the edge of a dime."]

sandtward@alltel.net or s (underscore) tward@hotmail.com